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Fire-drakes
'''Fire-drakes' (or Urulóki) was one term used for fire-breathing Dragons, and may have been a sub-species. History First Age ] Glaurung and Ancalagon were fire-drakes, and were among the most famous of the breed. Glaurung was a key player in the sacking of Nargothrond and in the fulfillment of Morgoth's curse on the children of Húrin. He was a fearsome bane to the Elves.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXI: "Of Túrin Turambar" Ancalagon and his armada of winged fire-drakes by themselves drove back the Host of the Valar during the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, such was their incredible power. Fire-drakes also joined the Balrogs in the attack on Gondolin.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIII: "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. II: ''The Book of Lost Tales Part Two'', chapter III: "The Fall of Gondolin" Second and Third Ages ]] All fire-drakes were thought to have been slain before the Second Age, but some including Smaug survived; in TA 2770 he came down from the North and sacked the Lonely Mountain. Later, in TA 2941, Thrór's grandson Thorin Oakenshield returned with a small group to reclaim his grandfather's kingdom, unleashing a chain of events that led to the death of Smaug when he attacked nearby Lake-town and was slain by the Black Arrow shot by Bard the Bowman.The Hobbit, Chapter XIV: "Fire and Water" According to Gandalf, there were still fire-drakes just before the beginning of the War of the Ring as being more like giant scaled serpents with wings than dragons as commonly depicted today. Description Fire-drakes often grew to immense sizes. The fire from one of these dragons was so intense that it was said the great dragons could consume and melt the Rings of Power (as became the case with some of the Dwarven Rings), with the exception of the One Ring.The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter II: "The Shadow of the Past" Most of the famous dragons throughout the ages were fire-drakes, although only some of them fought for Morgoth. Tolkien confirmed in a letter that Smaug was the last of his kind, the last of the "great" fire-drakes of Middle-earth. Dragons of lesser stature, such as smaller kin of Cold-drakes and fire-drakes lived on. This was also mentioned by Gandalf. Etymology In Quenya, Fire-drakes were called Urulóki ("Fire Serpent" or "Fire-dragon"The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter II: "Turambar and the Foalókë"The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"), from ur ("heat") and lókë ("snake, serpent").The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names''Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in ''The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Named Fire-drakes ]] Few fire-drakes were named in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium: *Glaurung, the Father of Dragons *Ancalagon the Black *Smaug the Golden Portrayal in adaptations The Hobbit film trilogy In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Thranduil had claimed to face a "fire drake of the North", and presumably suffered damages caused by dragon's fire. It is unknown whether this dragon was in the First Age, or those in the Grey Mountains in later days including Scatha, but seemingly in the Third Age after Smaug's attack on the Lonely Mountain. Video games In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, "fire-drake" is redefined as a wingless, four-legged dragon, much different and smaller than Tolkien's dragons or "great worms". They breathe flames, and are used by the Goblin faction. Gorkil the Goblin King can summon three of them as his final power. "Fire-drake broods" are triplets of smaller fire-drakes, introduced in The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king. They arise in groups of three and their combined attack is just as powerful as their larger cousins; only two fire-drake broods can be recruited at one time.﻿ In The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Úrgost a winged fire-drake who lives in the Grey Mountains. Agandaûr offers him Nordinbad in exchange for his service to Sauron, Úrgost responds by saying you will have your answer in my own good time. Later on he meets the company Farin, Eradan and Andriel and makes a deal with them to bring him Carn Dûm from Agandaûr and he will not fight for Sauron.﻿ Translations References de:Urulóki ru:Урулоки Category:Dragons Category:Monsters Category:Servants of Morgoth